Is dyshidrotic eczema an autoimmune disorder?

Dyshidrotic eczema is not an autoimmune disorder, although it shares a few common symptoms with autoimmune conditions such as cyclic periods of flare-ups.

How can you tell the difference between a staph infection rash and dyshidrotic eczema?

The symptoms of a staph skin infection and dyshidrotic eczema are quite similar. The difference is the presence of yellow crusting skin and pus-filled blisters, in case of staph infection rash. Also, staph infection rash are unlikely to recur once treated while dyshidritoic eczema may return even after treatment.

What triggers dyshidrotic eczema symptoms?

Several factors can trigger symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema such as weather changes, emotional stress, excessive sweating of hands, presence of another type of eczema, and working with cement or metals.

What Is Dyshidrotic Eczema?

By

Suchandrima Bhowmik

Published on April 4, 2024

Medically reviewed by

Susan Bard, MD

woman scratching her wrist — Getty Images / AndreyPopov

Dyshidrotic eczema, also called pompholyx, is a type of dermatitis that causes small blisters on your hands or feet. In most cases, this type of eczema begins between the ages of 20 and 40. Dyshidrotic eczema is more common among women than men.

The blisters that form due to dyshidrotic eczema can become itchy and painful. In some cases, small blisters can join together to form larger blisters. Several factors can cause dyshidrotic eczema symptoms to appear, such as having other types of eczema, weather changes, exposure to certain metals, or working jobs where the skin on your hands is exposed.

Although dyshidrotic eczema is not curable, several treatment options are available to prevent severe flare-ups or shorten the length of your symptoms.

dyshidrotic eczema on the hand — Dermnet NZ

Symptoms

Symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema typically occur on the hands or feet. Common symptoms include:

Burning sensation and pain
Excessive itchiness
Development of small fluid-filled blisters on the sides of your fingers, palm, or feet
Drying and peeling of the skin where blisters occur
Scaling and thickening of skin
Thickening and discoloration of nails

The symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema may come and go, referred to as a flare-up. Flare-ups can occur only once in your life or as often as once a month or year.

You can also get skin infections from scratching the blisters caused by dyshidrotic eczema. Yellow crusting, redness, and swelling in the region where you have blisters may indicate a skin infection.

What Causes Dyshidrotic Eczema?

The exact cause of dyshidrotic eczema has not been found, but research has determined some potential contributing factors. Certain environmental factors can also trigger flare-ups. A few factors that can cause or worsen symptoms include:

Exposure to metals, especially nickel or cobalt
Another type of eczema, such as atopic dermatitis
Excessive sweating on your hands
Asthma, hay fever (allergic rhinitis), or a sinus infection (allergic sinusitis)
Emotional stress
Hot and humid weather
Working with cement
Certain medications such as birth control pills or aspirin
Contact with certain chemicals or irritants in soap or detergents
Receiving intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg)

Diagnosis

Currently, there is no specific test for diagnosing dyshidrotic eczema. Your dermatologist (a medical doctor specializing in skin, hair, and nail conditions) most often diagnoses the condition with a physical examination and review of your medical history. They may also examine the fluid from your blisters to determine if you have a resulting skin infection.

Your dermatologist may also ask questions about your job to understand if you are exposed to conditions that may trigger your dyshidrotic eczema.

If your dermatologist suspects that allergies may be causing or worsening your symptoms or their severity, they may refer you to an allergist (a medical doctor who specializes in treating allergies and asthma). The allergist may perform some allergy testing to determine what, if anything, you’re allergic to and if your allergies may be contributing to your eczema.

Dyshidrotic eczema can often be confused with other conditions such as psoriasis, herpes simplex, and fungal infections. Dermatologists may recommend a skin biopsy, patch test, or skin prick test to rule out other conditions or allergic reactions.

Treatment for Dyshidrotic Eczema

There is no cure for dyshidrotic eczema, but there are ways to manage symptoms and prevent the development of blisters. Following a recommended skin care regimen may be effective for people with mild cases, while medications might be necessary to treat severe flare-ups.

Skincare Regimen

Adding certain steps to your skincare regimen may help you manage flare-ups, such as:

Washing your hands with lukewarm water and mild cleanser
Patting the skin dry gently after washing
Using a moisturizer immediately after washing
Opting for fragrance- and alcohol-free moisturizers
Removing rings or other jewelry while washing your hands
Keeping fingernails short to avoid scratching your skin

Medications

Dermatologists may often recommend topical or oral medications to treat serious cases of dyshidrotic eczema. A few common medications that can improve symptoms include:

Corticosteroids: Dermatologists may recommend corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory drugs commonly known as steroids, as a cream or pill. Corticosteroids help to reduce inflammation and itchiness.
Topical calcineurin inhibitors: These immunosuppresants block calcineurin and can help reduce redness, itching, and inflammation of the skin. Tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream are two U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved calcineurin inhibitors that can be useful for dyshidrotic eczema treatment.
Light therapy: Dermatologists may recommend light or phototherapy to treat severe cases of dyshidrotic eczema. The procedure involves targeting specific areas or exposing all of the skin to ultraviolet light from a light-emitting machine for a few months to reduce inflammation of the skin.
Anti-itch medication: Anti-itch medications can help to reduce the itching and discomfort caused by dyshidrotic eczema. Tronolane(pramoxine) is a common anti-itch medication recommended by dermatologists.

Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections: Botulinum toxin injections can help reduce excessive sweating that may trigger dyshidrotic eczema by blocking sweat glands.
Oral antibiotics: Dermatologists may recommend oral antibiotics if you have a bacterial infection as a result of your eczema.

In the case that your blister becomes large, dermatologists may use a sterile needle to drain them and help prevent infections.

Prevention

Unfortunately, there is no known way to prevent dyshidrotic from occurring. However, a few approaches can prevent dyshidrotic eczema from worsening and flaring up. These include:

Applying heavy moisturizer on the affected areas frequently throughout the day
Wearing cotton gloves under waterproof gloves while carrying out household chores, if the eczema affects your hands
Wearing moisture-wicking socks to keep your feet dry, if dyshidrotic eczema affects your feet
Avoiding rubber or plastic shoes that might increase sweating on your feet
Managing stress through different stress reduction techniques such as yoga, mindful meditation, and relaxation exercises
Taking a break from work and/or wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) if your profession can trigger flare-ups

Complications

Scratching itchy skin during flare-ups can lead to secondary infections. Infections happen when blisters open up and expose the open wounds to germs.

You may have a skin infection if you observe the following symptoms in the area where you have blisters:

Redness
Swelling
Yellow crusting

A skin infection from eczema can lead to a staph infection (Staphylococcus aureus). Staph infections are a common bacterial infection that, if left untreated, can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening bodily response to infection. You can also develop cellulitis, a skin infection that causes redness and swelling in the lower parts of your body.

Although it is rare, dyshidrotic eczema can also lead to a life-threatening inflammatory skin disease known as erythroderma or exfoliative dermatitis. Erythroderma causes scaly skin on a majority (over 90%) of your body, in addition to redness and excessive itching.

Living With Dyshidrotic Eczema

Dyshidrotic eczema is chronic, but that doesn’t mean it is constant. In most cases, dyshidrotic eczema flares up from time to time without causing serious complications. The blisters generally clear up within three to four weeks. Consult a dermatologist (skin specialist) as soon as you experience symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema, as starting early treatment can help reduce flare-ups and their severity.

Early diagnosis and treatment can improve symptoms and quality of life for people with dyshidrotic eczema. Following preventive measures like keeping your skin moisturized, avoiding scratching your skin, and treating flare-ups can help keep you comfortable and reduce the possibility that you’ll have a resulting infection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is dyshidrotic eczema an autoimmune disorder?

Dyshidrotic eczema is not an autoimmune disorder, although it shares a few common symptoms with autoimmune conditions such as cyclic periods of flare-ups.
How can you tell the difference between a staph infection rash and dyshidrotic eczema?

The symptoms of a staph skin infection and dyshidrotic eczema are quite similar. The difference is the presence of yellow crusting skin and pus-filled blisters, in case of staph infection rash. Also, staph infection rash are unlikely to recur once treated while dyshidritoic eczema may return even after treatment.
What triggers dyshidrotic eczema symptoms?

Several factors can trigger symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema such as weather changes, emotional stress, excessive sweating of hands, presence of another type of eczema, and working with cement or metals.

Edited by

Destine Manson

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!

11 Sources

Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.